Sport fishing device



May 1, 1968 K. REHRER 3,384,043

SPORT FISHING DEVICE Filed March 20, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l CID 9| 7o 11 H 15: I 9Q 3' g-T/m UL I I 41"" DDDEIEICI l] 58 I5 42 g] 43 INVENIUR.

KENNETH REHRER q-2 BY Mk ATTORNEYS.

y 21, 1968 K. REHRER 3,384,043

SPORT FISHING DEVICE Filed March 20, 1967 9 Sheets sheet 2 5s 5 INVENTOR. KENNETH REHRER ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,384,043 SPORT FISHING DEVICE Kenneth Rehrer, 3400 N. 11th St, Philadelphia, Pa. 19140 Filed Mar. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 624,559 6 Claims. (Cl. 114-16) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A boat has a well, passing from the deck through the bottom of the boat. In the well there is a watertight container which has suitable means connected to it, to allow water to be introduced into it and to be exhausted therefrom. The top of the container forms a deck, around the periphery of which there is a plurality of spaced apart telescoping guide pipes. The guide pipes are slidably mounted in a frame which is attached to the deck of the boat. When water is allowed to flow into the container, the container will sink below the surface of the water thereby extending the guide pipes and forming a cage. When air is introduced into the container, the water therein Will be exhausted so that the container will rise to the surface of the water thereby telescoping the guide pipes. Winches are provided as an alternative means of raising the container.

Background of the invention This invention relates to a craft for pleasure fishing and, more particularly, to a specially designed boat which enables humans to participate in underwater activities in dangerous waters, such as those inhabited by sharks.

Skin diving has become a popular sport in coastal areas where the weather and water conditions permit. Diving for sharks, however, can be quite dangerous, as can diving for other fish in waters which are frequently inhabited by sharks. Similar hazards are faced by anyone wishing to take pictures or pursue other activities under waters intested by sharks.

Summary of the invention The present invention comprises a device capable of floating on the surface of the water and having a portion thereof capable of being submerged and alternately raised to the surface, said portion having protective means forming a cage-like structure between the bottom of thedevice and the portion submerged beneath the surface of the water, whereby a person may freely move beneath the surface of the water in a protected area which allows for relatively free communication with the water outside of the protected area.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a mobile means for protecting a person engaged in underwater activities from dangerous creatures living in such water, while simultaneously permitting such person to freely engage in such activity.

Another object of this invention is to provide a boat which is adapted to permit underwater pleasure fishers or photographers, etc. to be easily submerged in a protective device with their equipment and to pursue their pleasures relatively uninhibited while at the same time receiving "ice protection from shark-s, which protective device can be easily raised and lowered.

Brief description of the drawings Description 0 the preferred embodiments Although specific forms of the invention have been selected for illustration in the drawings, and the following description is drawn in specific terms for the purpose of describing these forms of the invention, this description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of this invention is shown as a fiat-bottomed boat, designated generally 10, having a prow 11 and a deck 12. The deck 12 is supported and maintained in spaced relationship from the bottom portion 13 (FIG. 2) by the prow 11 and the sides, as well as suitable structural members (not shown), so as to form a substantially hollow, watertight cavity 14 (FIG. 2).

The cavity 14 has a well 15 therein which extends completely therethrough. Disposed in the well 15, is a box-like submersible tank, generally designated 16, so proportioned that it loosely fits within the well 15 and is easily slidable therein. The sides 17 of the tank 16 are substantially equal in height to the sides of the boat (as clearly shown in FIG. 2). A bottom portion 18 and a deck 19, completes the tank 16.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a pipe 20 is shown passing from the deck 19 through the bottom portion 18 of the tank 16. The pipe is preferably welded in place as at 21 and 22 to form a sealed, watertight connection. Within the pipe 20 there is a valve 25. The valve 25 is connected to a short length of pipe 24, which passes through the wall of the pipe 20 and is preferably welded thereto to form a sealed connection. By this arrangement, water flowing through the valve 25 will enter the chamber 26 of the tank 16. The valve 25 has a stem portion 27 which terminates in a handle 28. A reach rod 2) engages the handle 28 and projects above the deck 12. When the valve 25 is closed, water cannot flow into the tank 16. When the reach rod 29 is rotated, the handle 28 is rotated and the valve will be opened so that water may flow into the chamber 26 within the tank 16.

Referring to FIG. 3, the pipe 39 is shown mounted in the deck 19. The pipe 30 has a valve 31 associated therewith for controlling the flow of fluids therethrough. The pipe 30 is flush with the inner surface of the deck 19 and is in sealed engagement with the deck. The other end of the pipe is connected by a flexible hose 33 to an air compressor means 34 (which may be of any type well known in the art). Suitable valving 35 is provided in the line 33, so that as water is all-owed to enter the chamber 26, the air in the chamber 26 may pass out through pipe 30 and the line 33.

A standpipe 49 is shown mounted through the deck 19 and in sealed engagement therewith. The standpipe has a valve 41 for regulating the flow of fluid therethrough. The upper end of the standpipe 40 is connected to a flexible hose 42 which remains on the deck 12 of the boat as the tank 16 submerges (as will be more fully explained hereinafter). The other end of the standpipe is disposed in the chamber 26 below the level of the bottom portion 18 in a well or sump 43. The standpipe functions to permit water in the chamber 26 to be exhausted from the tank 16 when air is introduced into the chamber 26 through the pipe 30. The efifects of this procedure will be described more fully hereinafter in connection with the operation of the device.

Rigidly secured to the deck 12 of the boat 10, is a frame, designated generally 50, having vertical end supports 51 and horizontal members 52. Each horizontal member 52 has a number of equally spaced holes 53 therein, through the top flange of the member. Each hole has a piece of flared pipe 54 associated therewith and rigidly connected to the underneath portion of the top flange, as for example by means of welding. Through each hole 53 and its associated flared pipe 54, passes a telescoping pipe arrangement, designated generally 55. Each pipe arrangement 55 consists of a piece of hollow pipe 56 having another pipe 57 disposed therein for sliding engagement therewith, as will be more fully described. The inner pipe 57 has secured to it a cap 58 which will engage the upper portion of the horizontal member 52 when the tank 16 is submerged. As the tank 16 becomes further submerged, the larger pipe 56 slides down the smaller pipe until the inwardly protruding flange 59 of the larger pipe 56 engages the outwardly extending flange 60 of the smaller pipe 57, as shown in FIG. 3. As the tank 16 is raised again to the surface, the larger pipe 56 will slide up the surface of the smaller pipe 57 until it engages the outwardly flared end of the short length of pipe 54 which is welded to the underneath of the hori zontal flange 52. As the tank 16 continues to rise until it reaches the deck level 12 of the boat 10, the larger pipe 56 will slide through the hole 53 in the horizontal member 52.

The larger pipe 56 is held in position at its base by the clevis arrangement 61 shown in FIG. 3. The clevis consists of a pair of ears, one of which is shown at 62, which ears are fixed to the deck 19 by any suitable means, such as welding. A clevis pin or bolt 63 is passed through the ears and the large pipe 56, so that the pipe is articulated about the pin 63.

Where it is desired that the deck 19 be lowered to a considerable depth, such as feet, the pipes 56 and 57 will be quite long, and, it will be apparent, that the telescoping pipe sections 55 will rise well above the deck 12 of the boat 10 when the tank 16 is in position, as in FIG. 2. In order to permit easy access to the caged area 65, FIG. 1, one or more of the clevis pins 63, FIG. 3, are provided with a handle means 64 for easily removing the clevis pin 63 and disconnecting the pipes from the clevis arrangement. The pipes can then be withdrawn through the upper horizontal flanges 52 thereby providing enough space to allow people and equipment to enter the caged area 65.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, on either side of the tank 16 there is a hand actuated winch mechanism as at 70. A cable passes from each winch and is securely attached to the deck 19. The winches provide a means for raising the submerged tank 16 to the surface by hand.

In operation, a sport fisherman, or other user, having entered the caged area 65 with his equipment, will replace the telescoping pipes 55 and the clevis pins 63, so that the pipes are secured in place. He then will open the valve 31 on the air pipe 30. It is assumed that the compressor 34 is not operating and the valve is open to permit air to flow out of the hose 33 and the valve 41 is closed. Next, he will open the valve 25 by means of the reach rod 29 and allow water to enter the chamber 26. As the water enters, the air in the chamber 26 will pass out through the line 33. As the chamber begins to fill, the tank 16 will begin to sink. The person inside the cage can control the depth to which the tank 16 will sink, by closing the valve 31, thereby preventing the remaining air from escaping from the chamber.

With the chamber 26 completely filled the tank 16 will descend to its maximum depth wherein the tops 58 of the smaller pipes 57 are in contact with the horizontal member 52 and the engaging means 59 and 60 on the telescoping pipes 55 will likewise be in contact with each other. Thus submerged in a protective cage, the user can engage in his particular underwater activity without fear of being attacked by sharks. The spaces 84) (being on the order of 6 inches) between the telescope pipes 55, are sufficient to allow fishing spears and other gear to be freely used, but are small enough to prevent sharks from passing through.

It is to be noted that with the tank 16 in the submerged position, there is an open well 15 in the middle of the boat 10, but the boat 10 is nevertheless seaworthy due to its hollow construction. Thus the person in the submerged cage can be moved from place to place, by moving the Whole boat 10. The boat is operated by any conventional power and steering means, such as at 91.

When the user wishes to raise the tank 16 once again into its position, as shown in FIG. 2, he signals a person on the deck 12 of the boat 10 to close the valves 25 and 35, and turn on the compressor 34. Air from the compressor 34 will be pumped through the line 33, down the pipe 31 and into the chamber 26. Water in the chamber 26 will be forced up on the standpipe 40 and out through the flexible hose 4-2 and over the side of the deck 12. As the chamber 26 fills with air, it will rise to the-surface. The plurality of pipes 55 all telescoping together serve as suitable guide means for guiding the tank 16 into the well 15. The loose fit between the pipes 55 and the flared pipe 54, together with the clevis connection at 61 prevents wedging as the tank 16 continues to rise, so that the tank 16 will easily enter the well 15.

If for any reason the compressor were to fail, so that the tank 16 could not be raised by air pressure, the hand winches are available for cranking the tank 16 up by hand.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangement of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of this invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

It will further be understood that the abstract of the disclosure set forth above is intended to provide a nonlegal technical statement of the contents of the disclosure in compliance With the Rules of Practice in the United States Patent Oflice, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention described and claimed herein.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A boat, comprising: a body having a vertically disposed well therethrough; submersible tank means disposed in said well, having water regulating means connected thereto for controlling the flow of water into and out of said tank means; air supply means disposed on said body and connected to said tank means for supplying air under pressure to said tank means and for controlling the flow of air into and out of said tank means, whereby said tank means may be adjustably raised and lowered in the water; and expandable cage means connected between said tank means and said body, to form a cage extending between said body and said tank means as said tank means is lowered in the water.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein: said cage means comprises a plurality of telescoping pipes disposed vertically and in spaced relation to one another about the periphery of said submersible tank means, each of said pipes connected at one end thereof to said tank means; a frame mounted on said body and adapted to receive 5 and contain the other end of each of said pipes in sliding engagement therewith.

3. An apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said air supply means comprises: compressor means disposed on said body for supplying compressed air; conduit means conmeeting said compressor means to said tank means for supplying compressed air thereto; means disposed in said conduit means for controlling the fiow of air into and out of said tank means.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said water regulating means comprises: a valve connected to said tank means for controlling the flow of water into said tank means; and conduit means disposed on said body and connected to said tank means to permit water to be ejected from said tank means.

5. An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein: said body forms an airtight chamber therein.

6. An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein: said tank means comprises an airtight tank having a deck portion; said pipes being rotationally connected to said deck portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,051,114 8/1962 Bajulaz 11416 3,190,256 6/1965 Buie 11416 X 3,292,564 12/1966 Lehmann 11416 3,335,685 8/1967 Gimbel 11416 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

TRYGVE M. BLIX, Examiner. 

